MANILA, March 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Philippines will try to boost the output of its coal-fired power plants to keep electricity costs down as the Middle East war wreaks havoc with gas shipments, its energy secretary said Tuesday.

The archipelago nation of 116 million, which has some of the region's highest energy costs, relies on coal for about 60 percent of its electricity generation.

Sharon Garin told reporters Tuesday that with the cost of LNG (liquified natural gas) soaring, the country would "temporarily" be forced to lean even more heavily on the carbon-belching fossil fuel.

While hoping to "maximise" the use of local coal, the Philippines was also keeping the option of upping its purchases of coal from top supplier Indonesia, the energy secretary said.

"We talked to the generation companies, the coal-powered plants, to check how much they can increase their generation," Garin said, calling it a "temporary measure" that could start as early as April 1.

"If we are successful in implementing this, at least we can decrease the electricity rate hikes because of the conflict in the Middle East," she said.

Indonesia, meanwhile, had assured the Philippines it would place no limits on coal orders.

"There's no restriction on our importation of coal from Indonesia as of today," Garin said, adding increased purchases may not be necessary.

The Philippines -- regularly affected by electricity outages -- is heavily dependent on imported fuel to keep its power plants running.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos in January announced a "significant" discovery of natural gas made near the country's rapidly depleting Malampaya offshore natural gas field.

It was hoped the discovery could extend the life of the field, which supplies about 40 percent of power to main island Luzon and was expected to run dry within a few years.